His tone turns husky. “You respond instantly to me. I like that. That’s how it’s supposed to be.”
I shake my head, snapping myself out of his spell. Because that’s what this has to be. He must be a sorcerer and a werewolf, and he’s woven a love-spell on me, because nothing else can explain this.
“What are you talking about?” I whisper. “None of this is supposed to be.”
“Not to you because you’re human, but if you were a wolf you would recognize it for what it is.”
He’s staring at me so intently, as if waiting for me to understand this foreign language he’s speaking. But I don’t understand it. I don’t understand any of this. “And what’s that?”
He swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing before he says quietly, “That you’re my mate.”
My eyebrows rise clear to my forehead. “Your what?”
Uncertainty fills his eyes. “My mate.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“That we’re fated to be together. When together, our souls are complete. I just thought you should know, because I can tell that these feelings are tearing you up. That you don’t understand—”
I push up from the ground. My breath is coming so fast now, that I feel lightheaded. Before I know what I’m doing, I’m pacing back and forth.
“Brianna,” he says, an ache in his tone.
But I don’t want to hear this. I can’t hear this. There’s no way in hell I’m mated to anyone. “This is crazy, Collin. I’m not mated to you. What the hell does that even mean?”
Any uncertainty in his expression vanishes. A hard look takes its place. “Yes, you are mated to me. You’re my fated mate. You’re meant to be with me and only me.”
I stop pacing. My chest rises and falls so fast that I can’t catch my breath. “And what if I don’t want that?”
His face falls. “You don’t want me?”
I begin walking again, the sand sinking beneath my feet. “I … I don’t know, but what I mean is that I don’t believe in that. Soulmates and shit. That stuff’s not for me. I’m not a romantic. I never have been. I believe that women end up with who they choose based on a history of good experiences, which means there are a lot of men out there that I could be happy with. And whoever I end up with will be because he and I met at the right time and we mutually like each other, not because fate decided it for us.” A soft growl rises from him, but I don’t let it deter me. “I’m not looking for a relationship right now, Collin, and I don’t intend to be with someone just cause he’s good looking.”
His growl stops, and he smiles. “So you find me good looking?”
I groan. “Well, of course I do. I thought you already knew that. But you’re not the only good looking guy in the world. I’ve met quite a few hot guys.”
His smile disappears, and a scowl takes its place. “You’re attracted to other men?”
I throw my hands up. “Of course I’m attracted to other men! Haven’t you been attracted to other women?”
His scowl increases. “I don’t care about other women.”
“But you have been, in the past, right?”
“All women in the past are not women I care to think about or remember. Now, there is only you. There will only ever be you.”
I stop in front of him, my chest heaving. Seriously, why can’t I breathe? “But this isn’t how I imagined my life going. I have no intention of settling down with anyone right now.”
He stands too. He does it so quickly, that one second I’m looking down at him and the next he’s looming over me. “I’ll wait. I’m not going anywhere. When you’re ready to be with me, I’ll be here.”
I take a deep breath because his words are doing something to my insides, and it’s not something I want to feel. It’s too … much. It’s just too much. Whatever is going on inside me, I know that if I jump off this cliff with him, there’ll be no return. I’ll fall so fast and hard, that nothing and no one could ever come after him.
I press the heels of my hands into my eyes. “But what if I want someone else? What if I choose someone else? I still want a choice.”
He’s silent for a full five seconds, yet I can feel his tension mounting. It’s building and burning off him with each second